Togo’s main opposition coalition, Dynamique Monseigneur Kpodzro (DMK), has officially endorsed nationwide protests scheduled for June 26–28, 2025, in a renewed push for democratic reforms and greater accountability from President Faure Gnassingbé’s government. In a statement released over the weekend, DMK called on Togolese citizens—especially the youth—to participate massively in the three-day demonstrations aimed at denouncing what they describe as a “deepening authoritarian drift” in the country.
The protests are being organized in response to the controversial constitutional reforms adopted by the Togolese parliament in April. The new constitution transitions Togo from a presidential to a parliamentary system, allowing the president to potentially remain in power indefinitely as head of a newly created “Council of Ministers” beyond his current term—an outcome critics say is a thinly veiled extension of President Gnassingbé’s 20-year rule. DMK General Coordinator Thomas Noussoukpoé said the protests will be peaceful and grounded in a call for justice, constitutional order, and human rights. “This is not just about political opposition; it’s about defending the soul of our democracy and standing against the erosion of our freedoms,” he said.
Opposition parties, civil society organizations, and several diaspora groups have accused the government of pushing through the reforms without adequate public consultation. In recent months, human rights groups have also reported a growing clampdown on dissent, with opposition members facing arbitrary arrests, censorship, and intimidation. Togo has been ruled by the Gnassingbé family for over five decades—first by Eyadéma Gnassingbé from 1967 until his death in 2005, followed by his son Faure Gnassingbé, who has since been re-elected four times in disputed votes. Despite repeated international calls for electoral and institutional reforms, tensions remain high in the West African nation, with protesters demanding a return to term limits, electoral transparency, and improved governance.
